Dual cartons are useful for allowing consumers to purchase and transport a single carton of the desired quantity of articles such as soft drinks. After the dual carton has reached its final destination, the consumer may divide the dual carton into separate individual cartons leaving both cartons intact. One individual carton may then be separately used while the other is stored.
The individual cartons of the dual carton may be detachably retained together with the use of the combination of adhesive and tear strips. The tear strips and the adhesive are utilized between the individual cartons. Once it becomes desirable to separate the dual carton into the individual cartons, the consumer removes the tear strip to permit the individual cartons to be separated from one another. Examples of dual cartons utilizing tear strips are taught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,973,130; 3,677,458; and 4,533,052.
Finger tabs or push tabs may also be used to facilitate the separation of the dual carton into the individual cartons as taught in U.S. Pat. No. 3,677,458. The finger tabs may be positioned on the exterior of the dual carton between the individual cartons. However, accidental contact with the finger tabs may sometimes break the tabs which results in undesired exposure of starter orifices that are created in the carton wall by the breakage or displacement of the finger tabs. This would detract from the appearance of the dual carton because the starter orifices are designed to be used only when the separation of the carton is intended.
Also, it is often desirable to have large graphic areas on the exterior of a carton for printing and/or labeling. Utilizing the finger tabs as taught in U.S. Pat. No. 3,677,458 may not considerably interrupt the available graphic area. However, the small finger tabs could be camouflaged by graphics and thus not visible enough for consumers to fully utilize the finger tabs.
Therefore, there is a need for an improved dual carton adapted to be divided into two individual cartons for separate use. The starter orifices for facilitating the separation of the dual carton should be well hidden from view till the time for separation of the carton and they should become clearly visible once the separation of the carton is intended.